Annabelle: Creation is the prequel to 2014’s Annabelle and follows the story of how the possessed doll came to be. Warner Brothers sat down with two of the film’s stars, Lulu Wilson and Talitha Bateman to discuss the film and what it was like making the film.

How did you prepare for this movie?

LULU WILSON: Well, I had to learn to cry on cue, so I looked at videos on YouTube. [Laughter] But it worked! I learned how to cry on cue and now I can carry that skill through other projects.

TALITHA BATEMAN: My character, Janice, wears a brace and uses a cane because she has polio. So, two weeks before we started shooting, I walked around with a cane because I wanted it to seem natural and real onscreen.

How did you react after reading the Annabelle: Creation script?

LULU WILSON: I was kind of scared. But once I was on the set, spending time with the cast and crew, all that fear disappeared.

TALITHA BATEMAN: I was a little surprised by the script, because I assumed this would be a sequel to Annabelle, but it’s a prequel. Learning that this was set in the 1950s and discovering what our characters go through was really crazy. It’s a brilliant script. I really loved it.

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most intense, how scary was the filming?

TALITHA BATEMAN: Probably a seven?

LULU WILSON: A seven? I was going to say a two. The actual set was cool, but it was more eerie and creepy than it was scary.

Now that you’ve completed a movie about a demonic doll, do you look at dolls differently?

LULU WILSON: They’re definitely creepier now. I don’t buy or play with them.

TALITHA BATEMAN: Yeah, I would never get a doll now.

This movie was physically intense. How was it shooting the scenes where you’re dragged all over the floor or thrown up against a wall?

TALITHA BATEMAN: Those are my favorite scenes! We would put on special rigging, which is like flying. It’s really fun.

Did you perform your own stunts?

TALITHA BATEMAN: They had a stunt woman, but the film has many scenes where I’m actually doing the stunts, which was really cool.

How many Annabelle dolls were made for this film?

TALITHA BATEMAN: There were three: the doll you see on screen, the stand-in doll and the stunt double. For Annabelle, I think there were a total of seven dolls. One of them is missing. They don’t know where it went.

What did you enjoy discovering during production?

LULU WILSON: I researched the real Annabelle doll, which is locked up in Connecticut and is blessed three times a week. It’s so freaky.

TALITHA BATEMAN: I learned a lot about making horror movies because this is my first one. It was kind of crazy seeing like all the special effects and special make up and stunts.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!

About The Author

Geek Ireland Talent Manager, Film and TV enthusiast who is a Disnerd in every sense of the word: Animation, Pixar, Live action, Marvel and especially, Lucasfilm lover. Also be warned - don't talk to her before she's had at least 1 cup of tea....for your own safety.